


always the two of us (never just us)

by fiveminutemajor



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Feelings Realization, IKEA Furniture, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pastries, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:20:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21712255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveminutemajor/pseuds/fiveminutemajor
Summary: in which tk needs help putting together ikea furniture and nolan is never able to resist his best friendalternativelynolan pining and tk being an oblivious dumbass
Relationships: Travis Konecny/Nolan Patrick
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	always the two of us (never just us)

**Author's Note:**

> all the usual stuff like:  
~ thanks kip you're a real one  
~ s/o to the christmas gang  
~ ignore all my shitty writing
> 
> This is a linear fic! Each event happens directly after the previous events, even during pov switches!

Nolan:  
Nolan never had a moment away from TK. The pair we're inseparable. Not that Nolan minded, or anything. He quite enjoyed when TK would show up at his apartment at three in the morning, try to make the two of them pancakes, and proceed to nearly burn down the whole building. That sounds sarcastic, but it was the truth. Nolan was impossibly fond of TK, in every sense of the word.  
It was always Nolan and TK, Patty and Teeks, wherever they went. If you saw TK pulling some stupid shit, chances were that Nolan would be right there watching, smiling that soft grin reserved for his best friend.  
Best friends. Hah. Nolan knew that's what they were, that's all they would ever be. TK was straight as a bored and Nolan hadn't even come out to him, just in case. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway, it's not like Nolan picked up on the regular. But he still didn't tell TK in case it changed something. Their friendship was the most important thing in the world to Nolan, and he wasn't gonna let some silly little crush get in the way of that.  
Okay, so maybe Nolan knew it was more than a silly little crush. Maybe he knew that anything even remotely TK related made his heart speed up just a bit. It had gone on too long to be just a crush. Nolan knew that he had been in love with Travis Konecny since he had tied Nolan's goddamn tie.  
But he pushed all that aside, he had to. Nolan waved off all his feelings until there was just a friendship, and that was enough for him. It had to be enough.  
So maybe it's because Nolan's in love, or maybe it's because there's a new bakery on the way, he found himself on his way to TK's apartment. TK had texted him with an urgent. come over. and a winky face and a cowboy emoji. Whatever TK needed, Nolan would be there, always. Even if this so-called urgent situation was nowhere near an emergency.

With half a chocolate croissant hanging out of his mouth and one hand carrying a bag of definitely not diet plan approved baked goods, Nolan knocked on the door of TK's apartment.  
The door opened quickly, as if TK had been standing there and waiting for him. And maybe he had been, considering how impatient he could get. The thought made Nolan smile around his croissant.  
"You gotta be kidding, Patty." TK said as soon as the pair was inside and Nolan has set down the bag.  
"What?" Nolan asked, the question muffled through a mouthful of chocolatey, buttery goodness.  
"I know we gotta bulk up for the off-season, but I don't think this-" TK gestured to the full bag, "is what they meant." Nolan swallowed his last bite and smiled sheepishly.  
"So, uh, what did you need me for?" He asked, divirting TK's attention from the bag of sugary treats.  
"I always need you, Nols." TK said, probably coming out softer than he expected by the way he shifted and continued. "But today specifically. I went to Ikea because I was bored-"  
"As one does." Nolan cut him off and received an amused glare.  
"Because I was bored, and I got some stuff that I need help putting together."  
"So that's all I am to you? Manual labor and free pastries?" Nolan teased, but he couldn't stop the way his heart leapt at just how domestic this was. TK just snorted and shoved Nolan's chest lightly before walking to the living room. He didn't tell Nolan to follow, or gesture at all, but Nolan couldn't help trailing after him. Being around TK is like gravity, a drug that Nolan needs desperately. He takes a short breath to compose himself. Friends is enough.

"So, what do we have to put together?" Nolan asked when they were stood in TK's living room.  
"I have a dresser and a table. I'm not sure where I'm gonna put either but we'll cross that bridge and all that." TK shrugged and gestured to the five flat boxes laying on the ground.  
"If you didn't need them, then why did you get them?"  
"I'm not telling, you're gonna laugh." TK folded his arms and stuck out his tongue like a three year old and Nolan's heart lurched almost painfully. Friends is enough.  
"I won't laugh, I promise."  
"Pinky promise?" TK asked, and stuck out his pinky, his face set with sincerity.  
"Pinky promise." Nolan almost laughed, but stopped himself before linking pinkies with TK.  
"Uh, I bought the table because it's name is mörbylånga and if that's not the funniest shit you've ever heard, you're lying." TK absolutely butchered the pronunciation, but it's really fine because he's adorable. Friends is enough, goddamnit Nolan.  
"Okay, and what about the dresser?" Nolan asked, and TK immediately flushed and looked away. "Oh come on! It can't be that bad."  
TK mumbled something that Nolan couldn't understand.  
"I said, I bought it because it's name is tarva and I thought it said trava and that's close to my name and now I am wondering if I should have called you over because I am perfectly capable of putting it together on my own." TK rambled, refusing to make eye contact with Nolan.

TK:  
"You're such a dumbass" Nolan said, and the sheer amount of affection laced through his words caught TK by surprise. He coughed once before snapping back into his right mind and shooting a weak comeback at Nolan.  
"A dumbass I might be, but I'm a capable dumbass." Nolan giggled, straight up giggled at that, and maybe TK felt a little weird. Like, good weird, like when you drink hot cocoa on a cold day. Huh. Okay, TK really had to think about that, but later. Now, they were going to build some Ikea furniture and have a fun time. 

About halfway through the tarva dresser, TK made the mistake of looking at Nolan. They were both putting together drawers and Nolan was (predictably) better at it than TK. It was infuriating really. Nolan just had to be better at everything. Better at hockey, better at talking to people, better looking- scratch that last one. Well, nevermind, Nolan was-. TK caught himself before that train of thought got too much further.  
But he didn't stop looking at Nolan. Nolan was impossible to not stare at. He drew every eye in every room he entered. If TK were more poetic he could have written something to capture Nolan's essence. But all he could say is that Nolan was the most incredible person he'd ever met.  
He said that as a bro, of course. TK's not, you know, gay, and Nolan's not, and they're friends. And they're only friends, and that's definitely the reason why TK's gaze trailed from Nolan's flushed and concentrated face. Down his back. To a small, exposed sliver of skin on Nolan's lower back. TK didn't know why he was looking, but he definitely was. He'd never so much as looked at Nolan like that before, but suddenly TK wanted to feel that sliver of skin. He wanted to see more.  
And suddenly it hit him. The warmth in his chest when Nolan smiled at his jokes. The fact that he thinks of Nolan first when he needs to share something. The way Nolan knows exactly what he needs, all the time.  
And TK's not, he can't be. 22 is too old to have a sexuality crisis, right? Like, he's never had any interest in guys before, so maybe this is just a platonic thing. You know, when you love your bro so much that you wanna cuddle with them and hold their hand, and maybe kiss them. Okay nope, definitely not a platonic thing. Maybe he's never been interested in guys because none of them had been Nolan.  
"Teeks!" Nolan said, and TK snapped out of his trance. Nolan had this terrifying combination of love and concern on his face and it was altogether too much to handle.  
"Uh, bathroom." TK blurted out, and rushed out of the living room. He was careful to not slam the door, or give any reason for Nolan to think he was mad. He slumped down on the toilet and the weight of his realizations hit him like a train.  
1\. He's apparently bi, and  
2\. He's in love with Nolan Patrick.  
Then TK made a list. It goes:  
1\. Nolan's soft smile (the one that's just for them),  
2\. the fond way Nolan says "you're such a dumbass",  
3\. the way Nolan looks at TK, with all the love in the world,  
4\. Nolan's hair that TK begs him to cut but actually loves, and  
5\. That patch of skin.  
The list could keep going for a long time.  
TK didn't know when, or why, but he had started crying. And he thought it would be fine, if he did not hear Nolan from right outside.

Nolan:  
Nolan knocked softly on the bathroom door, and the sniffling stopped suddenly.  
"Teeks? You alright in there?" No response. Nolan put the flat of his palm on the door and leaned his forehead to touch the door gently.  
"Oh Trav-" He was cut off by the door opening abruptly and a red-eyed TK wrapping his arms around Nolan.  
"Uh, hey bud." Nolan said, and gently put his arms around TK, careful to not do anything that might be taken the wrong way. TK snuffled against Nolan's chest and then moved his head to the crook of Nolan's neck. He could feel TK's warm breath on his collarbones and fuck, that was more than he could comprehend. They were still just standing in the hallway, but suddenly, Nolan was somewhere else. TK burrowed further into his neck and Nolan thought, maybe, just maybe, his lips brushed the sensitive skin right then, but that was probably just wishful thinking. TK looks embarrassed though, and Nolan squeezed ever so slightly tighter and leaned his head on TK's. Whatever TK needs, whenever, always.  
The tension released from TK and he deflated like a balloon, leaning into Nolan's embrace. The smaller man sighed, then dropped his arms which signalled Nolan to do the same. 

Then it was the two of them, standing there in the hallway outside of TK's bathroom, with Nolan's cheeks maybe slightly pinker than normal.  
Then it was the two of them staring at each other, TK's red-rimmed and watery eyes meeting Nolan's concerned and loving ones.  
Then. Then it was TK surging up to crash his lips to Nolan's and Nolan letting him. TK was gentle, almost hesitant. Nolan brought his hands up to thread through TK's hair. TK kissed him more surely, feverishly, like he was desperate.

Then it was just the two of them. And that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> my first fic in forever and it's uh, not great? but that's fine,, i'm soft for these two and pining gets me every time,,
> 
> alright yeehaw lads 
> 
> thanks


End file.
